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Birth Defects

Birth defects are physical or developmental conditions that a person is born with. Major structural birth defects affect about 1 in 33 babies born in the U.S. each year, which is about 3 in every 100 babies. The Michigan Birth Defects Registry monitors many birth defects. From Michigan data, we know that between 2010 and 2016 nearly 1 in 100 babies was born with one of the 12 conditions reported in MiTracking. That is a little over 1,000 babies born in Michigan each year with one of these serious birth defects.

The exact causes of birth defects are often unknown. Some can be a result of genetics, lifestyle choices and behaviors, certain medicines and chemicals, infections during pregnancy, or a combination of these.

It is very important to be as healthy as possible before and during your pregnancy. Being healthy helps lower the chance of birth defects, premature birth, low birth weight, and other poor birth outcomes.

Women are encouraged to make choices that are best for their own health and for the baby they may have in the future. Here are 5 tips on the best choices for preventing birth defects:

Tip â¶: Be sure to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.

Folic acid is very important because it can help prevent some major birth

defects of the baby’s brain and spine. Our bodies use this B vitamin to

make new cells.

Tip â·: Book a visit with your healthcare provider before stopping or starting any medicine.

Many women need to take medicine to stay healthy, and there are often benefits to continuing your treatment throughout your pregnancy. If you are trying to have a baby or are just thinking about it, now is a great time to start getting ready for pregnancy by talking with your doctor about medications you may be taking.

Tip â¸: Become up-to-date with all vaccines, including the flu shot.

Vaccines help protect you and your baby. Some vaccinations, such as the flu (influenza) vaccine and the Tdap vaccine (adult tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine), are specifically recommended during each pregnancy.

Tip â¹: Before you get pregnant, try to reach a healthy weight.

Obesity increases the risk for several serious birth defects and other pregnancy complications. If you are underweight, overweight, or obese, talk with your healthcare provider about ways to reach and stay at a healthy weight before you get pregnant.

Tip âº: Boost your health by avoiding harmful substances during pregnancy, such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

Alcohol: There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy or when trying to get pregnant. A developing baby is exposed to the same concentration of alcohol as the mother during pregnancy. This can result in a range of lifelong physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities. In addition, alcohol may make it harder for a woman to become pregnant. Alcohol use in pregnancy can also increase the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, prematurity, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Tobacco: Today, tobacco can be consumed in multiple ways; this includes traditional forms like cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chew, snuff, and hookah as well as newer forms like e-cigarettes/vapes. Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, and other major health problems. Smoking during pregnancy can harm the placenta and a developing baby and can cause certain birth defects.

Marijuana: During pregnancy, the chemicals in marijuana (in particular, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) pass through mom to a developing baby and can harm a baby’s development. More research is needed to better understand how marijuana may affect mom and baby during pregnancy. However, it is recommended that pregnant women not use marijuana.

Prescription Opioids: Painkillers such as codeine, morphine, and oxycodone may be prescribed following an injury, surgery, or dental work. Any type of opioid exposure during pregnancy can cause neonatal abstinence syndrome, or a condition the newborn experiences from withdraw from certain drugs after exposure during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and taking an opioid, talk to your doctor before making any changes. Ask about options for opioid treatment to decide what’s best for you and your pregnancy.

The numbers and rates of birth defects in Michigan by type of birth defect, year, age group, and gender

If birth defects rates are going up or down over time

If part of the population is at higher risk of birth defects

The birth defects data cannot tell us:

What causes birth defects

The total cost, effect, or consequence of birth defects

Data from the Michigan Birth Defects Registry (MBDR) were used to create this dataset through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics (DVRHS). For more data information, please visit: